FOOT CLOCKER: Nets center Brook Lopez, out since Nov. 28 because of a right foot sprain, again was on the bench in street clothes last night. Photo: Neil Miller

Nets coach Avery Johnson admitted before last night’s game against the Bucks that Brook Lopez’s return from his sprained right foot is beginning to take longer than expected.

“I think it’s approaching that point now, yeah,” Johnson said. “Because obviously I come to these press conferences and I’m basically giving you the same answer.

“It’s not like I’m telling you something that’s not the truth, but it’s a little bit slower than what we thought. We’ll see if we catch some good fortune soon where he can heal enough to a point where he can practice and play in a game.”

Lopez was again out of the lineup against the Bucks, the fifth game the Nets’ starting center has sat out since spraining a ligament in the same foot he injured twice last season in the third quarter of the Nets’ win over the Celtics in Boston on Nov. 28.

The 7-footer has slowly begun to increase his activity level and worked out for the fourth straight day before the game. But while Johnson said Lopez is pain-free, there still is some discomfort in the foot.

“Well, you can be pain-free, but it’s the running and cutting,” Johnson said. “You can run straight ahead, but then if there is discomfort when you’re cutting, and even though it’s not painful … if there’s discomfort there, that’s a telltale sign that something is not fully operational.”

Johnson has maintained Lopez will need to participate in a full practice and shootaround before he will be allowed to play in a game. But that policy could be put under fire given the team’s upcoming schedule.

After last night’s game and today’s practice, the Nets will play four games in five nights — meaning their next practice won’t come until next Monday.

That’s why, if Lopez is unable to practice fully today, Johnson has a plan in place to properly test the center before putting him back on the floor in a game situation.

“With a guy with a foot history like this, he’s got to be able to get through a practice, recover well, go through a shootaround, then get through the shootaround, have no issues in the afternoon, and play,” Johnson said.

“But the challenging part also is we’re approaching a stretch after [today] where we won’t have a lot of practice time, so at some point we’re going to put him in some simulated 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 situations, since we’re not going to have official practices, and see where he is and see how he recovers from them from that point.“So we have a plan, but until we can get him in a practice and he can go through a practice, it would be irresponsible on our part just to throw him out there in a game.”